In recent years, an increasing body of evidence suggests the immune system operates as a significant barrier to tumor formation and progression. The principle that naturally-occurring T cells with anti-tumor potential or activity exist in a patient with cancer has rationalized the development of immunotherapeutic approaches in oncology. Immune cells, such as T cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells, can exhibit anti-tumor activity and effectively control the occurrence and growth of malignant tumors. Tumor-specific or -associated antigens can induce immune cells to recognize and eliminate malignancies (Chen & Mellman, (2013) Immunity 39(1):1-10). In spite of the existence of tumor-specific immune responses, malignant tumors often evade or avoid immune attack through a variety of immunomodulatory mechanisms resulting in the failure to control tumor occurrence and progression (Motz & Coukos, (2013) Immunity 39(1):61-730). Indeed, an emerging hallmark of cancer is the exploitation of these immunomodulatory mechanisms and the disablement of anti-tumor immune responses, resulting in tumor evasion and escape from immunological killing (Hanahan and Weinberg (2011) Cell 144(5):646-674).
Novel approaches in the immunotherapy of cancer involve counteracting these immune evasion and escape mechanisms and inducing the endogenous immune system to reject tumors. CD137 (alternatively known as “tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9” (TNFRSF9), 4-1BB, and “induced by lymphocyte activation” (ILA)) is a transmembrane co-stimulatory receptor protein belonging to the tumor necrosis factor superfamily. CD137 is a T cell co-stimulatory receptor induced upon TCR activation (Nam et al., (2005) Curr Cancer Drug Targets 5:357-363; Watts et al., (2005) Annu Rev Immunol 23:23-68). In addition to its expression on activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD137 is also expressed on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, activated natural killer (NK) and NK-T cells, monocytes, neutrophils, and dendritic cells.
Under physiological conditions, CD137 is ligated by CD137 ligand (CD137L), an agonist membrane molecule present on antigen-presenting cells including B cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells (Watts et al., (2005) Annu Rev Immunol 23:23-68). Upon interaction with its ligand, CD137 leads to increased TCR-induced T-cell proliferation, cytokine production, functional maturation, and prolonged CD8+ T-cell survival. The potential of CD137 co-stimulation using various agonists (e.g. agonistic antibodies, recombinant CD137L protein, and CD137-specific aptamers) in enabling the immune system to attack tumors has been documented in numerous models (Dharmadhikari et al., (2016) Oncoimmunology 5(4):e1113367 and references therein). A recent report on the clinical evaluation of an agonistic CD137 antibody (Urelumab, BMS-663513; Bristol-Myers Squibb) documented the observation of treatment-related adverse events in human subjects, including indications of severe hepatotoxicity (transaminitis) correlating with antibody dose (Segal et al., (2016) Clin Cancer Res 23(8):1929-1936). In contrast, a different agonistic CD137 antibody (Utomilumab, PF-05082566; Pfizer) tested in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody (pembrolizumab), though not resulting in any dose-limiting toxicities, showed comparable results to anti-PD-1 antibody therapy alone (Tolcher, A. et al., (2017) Clin Cancer Res 23(18): 5349-5357). These results highlight that for patients with various diseases and conditions, including cancer, that are amenable to treatment with a CD137 agonist, there continues to be an unmet need for novel agonistic antibodies that bind to human CD137 and exhibit characteristics sufficient for the development of a safe and efficacious therapeutic.